february 29...

...is one extra day given to us in every four years.

have you ever asked yourself why?
did you wiki the answers?
do you know someone whose birthday falls on february 29?
have you ever thought of doing something 'extra' today?

time runs so fast that we always say "there's no more time", "we need more time", "time is running out" and so on. now that you have this extra 24 hours, do you have anything productive to do?

i never cared about leap year and now i realize this february 29 is like a freebie of 24 hours of your life (well, maybe except if you die on feb 28th of a leap year. okay, not funny.) there's something about this extra day. i'm halfway through the day and i need to find out what that 'something' is. or maybe i'm just being weird today.

anyway. a trivia from wikipedia.

There is a tradition that women may make a proposal of marriage to men only in leap years, further restricted in some cases to only February 29. There is a tradition that in 1288 the Scottish parliament under Queen Margaret legislated that any woman could propose in Leap Year; few parliament records of that time exist, and none concern February 29.[1] Another component of this tradition was that if the man rejects the proposal, he should soften the blow by providing a kiss, one pound currency, and a pair of gloves (some later sources say a silk gown). There were similar notions in France and Switzerland.

amazing, huh? HAPPY LEAP YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!! =)

quickers lang

im at brian's place now and using his laptop and reading his ym messages/archive because the kid's still outside clearing the table from all their inuman kalat. this is what he pays for reading messages in my phone while i was in the shower! shit you abigail!!! haha!

i haven't been home for two days now and i miss everyone. i'm crashing at brian's temporarily to seek insanity. (yeah right, like seeking insanity from one crazy person helps at all!) friday night night incident also didn't help. haha!

it's almost 4 am and i am not sleepy yet. i just downed two pale pilsens and made cut outs of 200 stars for tomorrow's organic birthday party. i spent all afternoon shopping for art materials for 17 4-year olds tomorrow while my boss was very busy creating organic recipes/set menu for them. my boss and i are working closely to make this party a success as it is one damn expensive party! haha! seriously though, organizing an organic party is definitely not your ordinary party. it's quite exciting you see, but i'm still not changing my mind about how my first daughter celebrates her 1st or 2nd or 3rd birthday. it will be at mcdonalds or jollibee and all the kids will eat all processed and unhealthy food and they will have spaghetti sauce all over their faces!

i have a new job description by the way: face painter for children's birthday parties.

and tomorrow my boss is bringing her wigs, i might be a clown tomorrow after i paint faces! =) i tell you, my job is beyond words! i love it! =)

so that's about it for now. i have one thousand and one things going on, but as what b1 says: one day at a time. =)

oh, Thank you Lord. life is good. =)

my five pinoy survival tips in sg

1. ez link: wherever, whenever, whatever (because you can eat at mcdonalds even if you're cashless!)
2. liking chicken is a must. eating chicken everyday is possible.
3. master the mrt interchanges and memorize your bus numbers.
4. you have to at least attempt to speak singlish for you to be able to communicate well with the locals.

and the most imporant thing...

5. know where lucky plaza is. period.

what's pasta?

japanese father and son tourists came down to the shop today for dinner:

father: (browsing our menu and settled at the "pasta/noodles" page) what is pasta? (pointing the word "pasta")
son: (in japanese) sana mahiya kang magtanong ng ganyan! (okay, i'm inventing this part but i really hope the son told his dad to stop embarrassing him infront of a pretty waitresss. *ahem*)
me: um, hmmm, let me see. pasta, sir, is, um, you know noodles? hmm, how do i say this? in japan you have ramen right? and chinese got noodles. well, italians have pasta, like the noodles they use in italian pasta dishes, you have spaghetti or penne. you get what i mean? (potah, ako din, i swear hindi ko naintindihan pinag sasabi ko. i mean come on, how can you answer his question technically?)
father: i don't know. what is pasta?
son: (in japanese, to his dad) sana manahimik ka na. (in english, to me) i'm sorry but maybe what he meant was what pasta is available today?
father: no, no, no. i want to ask, what is pasta?
me: hold on a bit ya, i'll get someone from the kitchen to explain this to you.

one minute later (and a google of "pasta definition" )...

me: sir, sorry to keep you waiting, but pasta is unleavened dough, made of wheat flour, water, and sometimes eggs, that is molded into any of a variety of shapes and boiled.
father: (hinimatay. parang amo ni inday sa inday the inglisera series)

of course you know i'm just kidding. after i said i'll get someone from the kitchen to explain "pasta" to him, the son said not to bother anymore and that he'll explain it to his dad.

question. walang pasta sa japan????

well, its either that or sira ulo lang talaga sha and alam nya wala naman talaga makakasagot ng tanong nya unless graduate ka ng food technology sa isang university or nag masteral ka ng italian cuisine and dough-making! punyeta!

an invitation (that i can't say no to)

meet me after dark
we'll go against the weather
we'll fight, well they can't decide for us
their minds are cynical
their ordinary eyes can't see through it all

don't be afraid cuz i'm here
meet me halfway, i got you now

cuz when we go just so you know
i'll be right here to carry you
erase the traces
restart with everything, everything new
with wounds to mend
hearts break but it can rebuild again

it's safe to let go i'm right here with you
it's your trust that i need to believe
that i'm not in this thing alone

would you run away with me if its tonight?
leave everything behind
come on, come on

i got you now.

hmmm

so valentine's day was yesterday. tell me what happened? did you guys go out on romantic dates? group dates? movie and dinner? all-girls night out? boys night out or did you guys go to strip clubs? maybe you decided to play it safe and hung out with your families?

o, girls, what did you get? roses? cards? chocolates? did you get to make out with your dates at the end of the night? anyhow, i hope you guys had a blast on valentines day.

valentine's used to be my favorite day of the year. used to be because it has been tainted already. every damn year i always hoped for something nice and romantic and sweet and amazing. few years ago i cried like mad cuz my ex gave me a plastic flower (and yes, the world has to know! haha!). two years ago i was out on a double date with panty shorts girl and watched rex navarete at SM megamall. last year i was on a plane with gxs friends, flying to sg. so yeah, everytime i put my hopes up on valentines day, i always get frustrated. this year, i just worked and enjoyed giving out coriander and thai basil leaves to our customers as 'boquets' which i put together (my boss' idea! isn't she clever?) this year, i decided to give valentines a break and let it be just any ordinary day, no reds and hearts all over. but fuck, i wore pink yesterday, the closest color i can get to red. i just didn't want to make it too obvious that deep inside i still like valentines. this year, valentine's day was so ordinary. but it was special. and the flower was beautiful. thank you. =)

sooooo, work's been very busy. this week alone, three magazines came down for photo shoot, interviews and food tasting. this is the part where i say i have the best job in the world, cuz everytime a magazine comes down for food and drinks tasting, i'm there too. hahaha! and i get to talk to editors and senior writers! i am having so much fun it feels like i'm not working at all. well, physically, i am so tired because i work at least 12 hours a day. hmmm, i'm actually a bit relieved now cuz someone's finally taking over of our indian restuarant and the bar that'll open in the next month! i'm still excited of the two other concepts though. and guess who's going to kl. =)

i have a boring social life now. all work and a lot of gossip when i get home at 2 in the morning brought by my domestic partner, oue. hay, i miss my normal life with my girls. especially claire, who is going back home for good in two weeks. i am still in denial, i still don't know how it's going to be without her. this is like a break-up you know. hahah!

okay, got to work now. brb.

wait, one song. to whom it may concern:

Bubbly (Colbie Caillat)

I've been awake for a while now
You've got me feelin' like a child now
Cause everytime I see your bubbly face
I get the tingles in a silly place

It starts in my toes
And I crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go

The rain is fallin' on my window pane
But we are hidin' in a safer place
Under cover stayin safe and warm
You give me feelins that I adore

They start in my toes
Make me crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go

What am I gonna say
When you make me feel this way
I just-mmm..

It starts in my toes
Make me crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go

I've been asleep for a while now
You tuck me in just like a child now
Cause every time you hold me in your arms
I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth

It starts in my soul
And I lose all control
When you kiss my nose
The feelin shows
Cause you make me smile baby
Just take your time now
Holdin' me ti-i-ight

Where ever, Where ever, Where ever you go
Where ever, Where ever, Where ever you go

That you make me smile
Even just for a whi-i-le.

the pictures

go here.

***had to set it to private cuz of some, ahem, private photos. haha!

chinese new year and the great singapore m a n h u n t 2 0 0 8

it was my off today and i was out to the beach with my girls, karen and krysse, and my two gays (who i would like to leave unnamed). thank God the sun was up and shining beautifully (yup yup, no heavy clouds threatening my third of day of the year!) so ya, we spent the entire day at cafe del mar and it was crazyyyy!!!!! i was supposed to go to this filipino-chinese lunch somewhere but they moved it to dinner, so what's the next best thing to do? go to the beach.

i have no time to upload photos so i'm leaving you one photo of our "chinese new year--m a n h u n t collection 2008".

oue made me pose with this man. at that very second (when the photo was taken) i wasn't so sure if we were m a n h u n t i n g, really. for a moment i thought we were hunting for something else.

pero eto talaga, PANALO! paki sunod nalang ng storyboard at kayo na bahala gumawa ng kwento. (be thankful i am giving you that freedom. tulog na kasi ang nasa picture kaya inupload ko yung tatlo, e isa lang usapan namin! hehe! i hope i won't receive a yelling call or sms when he wakes up! hehe)

Figure 1a

Figure 1b

Figure 1c

watch out for more m a n h u n t photos in multiply. there you will see the winning photo of the day.

our first review!

i've done a couple of interviews, food tasting and reviews and photoshoots for magazines and i seriously, seriously cannot wait for the moment they publish the issue/s. most of them will be out on march and april. the anticipation is just crazy. it's there. the reviews are coming out. good or bad, it's going to happen.

and it actually happened today. we're on THE business times! (the second review at the bottom part.) the review was just perfectly beautiful. it's so overwhelming. it's beyond words. haha, okay exagge but seriously though, i am so proud. i didn't even know the writer from the business times came down for brunch last saturday. we didn't prepare or whatsoever for that review. we didn't choose our best dishes and drinks for them to try. the writer is just as perfect too, not because she wrote nice things but because she's so humble about reviewing us. ah basta, lisod e-explain. hehe!

ahhhh, the life of food and beverage industry. =)

tomorrow, two things are going to happen.

1. claire's going home.
2. magazine photoshoot and interview.

and the third, um, i'm hoping i could hit the beach in the morning after dropping off claire at the airport. hahahaha ASSUMING!!!!

five beautiful things

1. i have a new live-in partner now and his name is reynoir. our home is now 100 times noisier/louder.
2. i learned a new dish today. seafood pasta with mushroom, cherry tomatoes and broccoli. i cooked for my girls and i'm surprised they liked it. i may not be out partying on a friday night but my home-made italian dinner and a glass of chardonnay with good friends are just as perfect. =)
3. this singaporean happiness is just beyond. i can't wait to apply for permanent resident status on my 7th month here.
4. i spoke to an old friend today and she told me nice news which might bring me the sweetest dreams tonight. thanks Sha-sha. =)
5. march 31 is coming. it will be our 9th year.

i have three sad things though.

1. industrial team's bulletin board is so effing ugly.
2. pantyshorts girl is going to be away for a week. i will take this as a dry run before she officially goes back to the philippines. =(
3. monday is cherry bonani's last day in gxs. =(